Heater for water-cooled engines



April 26, 1932. K. H. BQWEN HEATER FOR wATEcooLED ENGINES Filed July 23, 1928 INVNTOR Patented Apr. 26, 1932 KENNETH HERBERT BowENory AUBURN, NEW Yonx; Assur/NOR, ToHENnY ALLEN, oF AUBURN, NEW YoBx, A CORPORATION or NEWXOBK EEATEB. Eon yWAT1in-Gc'JonEnl ENGINES App-nba'iinrmea nui 23, 192s; sermgm.esmas.Y j

Thisinventionfrelates to a newl and v4improved heater forthe cooling fluidv of'water cooled engines. l:When an automobile has an engineiwhich is cooled during operation by the circulation of water around the cylinders ofthe engine and through a radiator', itis'preferablef during the time of year when'the temperatureis lowto `have some means of preventing such water not only from `freezing.` because" the freezing of the water is apt to causedamage to the engine, but also frombecoming cold because when the engine' cylinders are cold it is diliicult to start the engine? ofcourse, it

other storage place for an automobile, but yto do sois expensive and a source of diiiculty and annoyance. L

The main object of my invention is toprovide a means whereby the watery in -the cooling system of an automobile engine maybe kept at a substantiallypredetermined warm temperature by means of `electricity,-which will not only be effective, but will be convenient and inexpensive.y

Another ob'ect is to yprovide a heating connected to a source of current supply and isautomatically controlled so thatfthe temperature of the waterlwill never exceed a }g redete'r`mined degree.

Another `object-is to kprovidefa heating lmeans ofy the character described in which the heatingv coil and the automatic control may be disposed in the waterjacket of. the engine.; `1

Other objects and advantagesrelatelto the size, shape and arrangement of parts; all as 40 will more fully appear` fromthe following description, taken inconnection with the ace companying drawingsrin-which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automo-A `bile engine showingl my device installed in the waterjacketof the engine.V y;

ispossible to provide heat in a garage or v'--28 adjacent the wallsv-29- of theV automobile Y cylinder in which fis*l disposed the usual piston-BO-y The header Q7-. is connected by a conduit Y-1- to the upper portion of a radiator -f-32-. S `A second conduit 33@ leadslfrom=the bottom of' the Y Vvto 4Vtheskirt portion 28g-.of the water jacket 26-` through'another conduit, not shown. Referring particularly to Figure 211 pro`l nvide a cylindrical vtube B5- externally 'threaded on one end andinternally threaded on the other end.y Tube -35- is threaded into the skirt 2S- adjacent the bottom section on line k2-i-21of Fig- Y edge thereof. A resistance coil heater 36+- i means Ofrths charac-ter which Can-be readily is positionedE in tube. --35-y and 4`is held place by a cap ,-.37- threaded into `the outer -r endoftube -35-.

f; A second cylindrical tubeV-SS- externally vthrough and into a'conduit Plug A,

has a laterally `fextending threaded portion -43- on Vwhich isthreaded a cap Y Conduit 42% carries la double `beveledV bushing 445-4 which ispositioned between plug and cap to insure "the yretention of the'water in the header ofthe relative positions ofthe heater .-36- A aIid-th'ermostatic bulb A--39--- to each other -27-. The conduit 42- extend's to a thermostatic switch -46- whichv may be of any desired type. Switch -16- is positioned on dash-board -47- of the vehicle. Switch -46- is connected through a suitable cable -tS-to a fuse box 49- carrying the usual fuse -50-. A socket -51- is positioned on dish-board -47- below fuse ox -49- and is connected by a suitable v l cable .-52- to the fuse box #4Q- andto the electrical yheater The Athefrmostatic switch -46- is normally closed when the automobile engine 25- is not operated so thatw-heni'a 1ead',not shown, from any ecnvenient source! (if petential, not shown, is

inserted in socket -V-lthe current will passv y, from socket -51 to cable 252;, fuse box'nl M49-, cable -48-, switch fuse 501 cable t2- aaiheatefac.

'Y 2c f. j It will Vbe understoodthat cylinders 35- and -38- are in communication with water picket-.27- so that heater -36- and ther-` mostatic floulb ;,--39'7 are at all, times im-l mersed in the water which'is in water acket :W'hen (current is passing throughheater -36- the heat units so generatedl by the lheater '-36- willbe transferred to the water inthefwat'er jacket-26%. This heat trans'- i '20 ferfwill ,be continued vuntil Vthe temperature of kthe water vbecomes. sufliciently high to cause th-'e thermostatic switch -46--- to openv and `break Ythefcircuit through heater -.36-. vThe ci-rcuit so broken will remain open until l B5 -thetemperature ofthewater in, the water jacket .-26; has dropped -suiiiciently tok .cause the thermostatic switch to V.again lclose :and completethe circuit when the heating of the water will then be continued. 'A

Altho my device will functionirrespective and tothe water jacket -26-1I have discovered that the most eiiicient location of i5- the'p-arts 'of my/device with reference to each iother 'and to thewater jacket 26+ is to have the-heater L36;- inthe flowerypart of the water jacket -26- and the thermostatic flo bulb i`n the upper portion ofthe water `j aeket I This is` because of the fact that warm water will rise in water jacket #-26% due to thfthermosiphon action: and with the "last described `dispofs'itior'i of parts the colder 'water' in the water'jackejtac'f will receive c ith@ heat directly whiie the thermostati Control fof the heater ,-364- will be effected by the warmest water in the radiator -526-7. j

It will beunderstood that my device will 53' function without the use of a fuse box'and fuse altho prefertouse them as an assurance l-ofrsafety during .the operation of the device.

"It will 'also beV understood that any parti- Y 'i A.cular'typre ofjelectrical heater and any partiv 35 cular type of heat control switch is not essential to the spirit of my invention nor is the vexact location of these parts of the device.

. It will also be understood that my device can bevused with any typeof apparatus which has a water cooling system and that the size, shape and arrangement of the different parts of my device may bevaried to adapt them to Vdifferent conditions, for altho I have shown and described aspecific structure and form of part as Ian exemplication of an embodiment of my `inventionI do 'not desire to restrict myself to the exact shape, form or relation of parts as various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims. "lli'm' .Y "j 1 In a water cooled engine having a water j acketsurrounding the cylinders thereof, a casing projecting from the jacket and having its inner end secured tothe lower portion 2. In a water cooled engine havmgga'water jacket surrounding thel cylinders thereof, vcasings detachably connected to thewaterj ack- Vet and projecting from the upper and lower portions thereof, an electric circuit, an electric heater interposed 1n saldvci-rcuit and arranged in the lower one of said casings, and

Aa thermlostatic switch interposed in the circuit and arranged in the upper one of said cas1ngs..- f Y .j Y

' 3. In a water cooled enginevhaving a water jacket surrounding the cylinders l thereof, upper and 'lowerjcasings projecting from the water jacket and eachhavingits inner end secured to the water jacket, an electric circuit, an electric heater interposed in said circuit and. arranged in the lower. casing, and a thervmost'atit': switch interposed in the circuit' and larranged in the upper one of said casings. 4. rIn a water cooled: engine havinga water yjacket surrounding the cylin'de'rs thereof,

upper and lowercasings projecting from the water jacket, Veach casingvfbei'ng 'of tubular form and having threads at 'its outer end,

threaded caps connected y'to the outer ends of Y said casings, an electric circuit,i 'an/electric heater interposed 'in :said circuit, arranged in the :lower casing and supportedcby the -c'ap of that casing, and afthermosta-tic switch interposedin the circuit, arranged -i-nthe upper casing and supported'by the capofthe latterl Y 5. In a water cooled engine having a. water jacket surrounding the cylinders thereof,

upper and lower casings Aprojecting from the Water jacket, each casing comprising a tub-Y tric circuit, an electricheater interposed inV said circuit, arranged in one ofvsaid casings, and supported by the cap of the latter, and a thermostatic switch interposed in the circuit, arranged in the other casing, and supported by the cap of the latter.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of July, 1928.

KENNETH HERBERT BOWEN.- 

